SC Kansas News

On an average night by her standards, Bailey Albright became just the fourth player in Sterling College women's basketball to score 2,000 points in a career. Albright will now get her name etched with the likes of Kristina Barrow, Kyla Comley, and Mieka Woudstra. Albright ended the night assisting her teammates almost as much as she did score in a hard-fought, physical game against the University of Saint Mary Spires. She ended with 10 points, and 7 assists as she helped the 22nd ranked Warriors to a 92-78 win over the Spires.

Saint Mary did not cave early to the pressure of playing the top team in the conference on the road. Sterling actually found themselves trailing by a basket four minutes into the first quarter. Sterling turned to the reliable play of Taya Wilson and Karsen Schultz early on for scoring and rebounds. The tandem scored 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, as many as the Spires whole team, in the opening quarter. After the early scare, Sterling opened up an 11-point lead and took a 22-11 lead into the second quarter.

Sterling made a push early on getting a basket right out of the gate from Korynn Clason, who made her presence known in the quarter. Bailey Albright's historic three-point basket came next as an answer to a Spire three, and Clason came back with another jumper to push the lead to 15. Sterling's largest lead of the half came a couple of minutes later on another Clason layup, but the Spires came firing right back. With much grit, determination, energy and physicality, Saint Mary got things rolling. Over the next two minutes, Sterling saw their lead go from a comfortable 16 points to just 6. Clason was the answer to stave off the Spire run, but the Warriors were outscored in the quarter and took just a 6-point lead into the half. Sterling was clinging to their 40-34 lead.

The second half was kind to the Warriors as they scored 52 second half points. Five different Warriors scored, and all of them scored at least 4 points. It took an early charge by Saint Mary to get Sterling back in the driver's seat. Saint Mary cut the Sterling led to just 1 before Sterling grew their lead to seven, then eleven, and eventually a thirteen-point lead before a last-second layup by the Spires ended the third quarter with Sterling regaining control, 65-54. Kali Briar and Wilson led the charge in the third quarter.

All Sterling had to do was hold serve in the 4th quarter and that is just what they did. Outscoring Saint Mary 27-24 in the quarter, Sterling walked away with a 92-78 win to maintain their placement atop the KCAC. Schultz had another one of those quarters scoring 14 points of her 25 in the final frame to help close things out for the Warriors. The game seemed well in hand as Sterling extended their lead to as many as 21 causing the Spires to foul as the pace of the Warriors wore them down.

Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by Karsen Schultz with 25 points, followed by Taya Wilson with 20, Korynn Clason off the bench with 15, and 10 points for Bailey Albright. Wilson completed the double-double with 11 rebounds and Schultz barely missed out with 9 rebounds. Five of Wilson's rebounds came on the offensive end. Albright made things easy for her teammates as she dished out 7 assists, Briar added 5. Schultz, Wilson and Lauren Carmack led the Warrior defensive stats with 3 steals each.

As a team the Warriors shot 53% (30-57) from the field, 43% (6-14) from 3-point range, and 72% (26-36) from the free throw line. Sterling won the rebound battle 40-23 over the Spires. The Warriors had 16 assists to Saint Mary's 15, 10 steals to the Spire's 8, but lost the turnover battle 16-14.

Albright and Wilson continue to move up in several statistical all-time lists. After tonight's 11 rebound performance, Wilson finds herself just 10 rebounds from 1,000 for her career. Assuming she reaches that milestone, she will be just the 2nd player in Sterling Women's basketball history to accomplish that feat.

Sterling will take Wednesday off before returning to action next Saturday, taking on the Tabor College Bluejays in Hillsboro. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 pm.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.

Original source can be found here.